Abstract:
This is a basic qualitative interpretive study that explores the perceptions of professional academic advisors on changing role expectations, the impact of those changes on their ability to fulfill their job requirements, job satisfaction and the impact of change on advisors’ persistence in the profession. Nine academic advising professionals were interviewed in order collect their perceptions of how the job of an advisor has changed over the years and how those changes impact advising practices, job responsibilities, and job satisfaction.
Participants of this study reported four primary change factors they claim to have experienced in their time as professional advisors. Those changes are: (a) development of the three-tiered system in which advisors are given a specific title of Academic Advisor I, II, or III upon being hired, and allows greater opportunity for career advancement in the field of advising, (b) transition from prescriptive advising practices to developmental, (c) increased use of technology including the shift from hand-written filing systems to computer-based filing systems, as well as the development of Predictive Analytics Software and other software used by professional academic advisors, and lastly (d) the development and implementation of state and federal initiative like CCG/CCA/ Fifteen to Finish in order to increase student retention and graduation rates in higher educational institutions.
Keywords: Academic Advising; Changes in Academic Advising; Academic Advising Professionals;